Prince Albert Police Association Awards Ava Kuling the KerriAnne Bergen Memorial Scholarship
In 1991, a family member of a former member was tragically killed at the age of 16 by a drunk driver. Shortly thereafter, the Prince Albert Police Association created a scholarship for a grade 12 student at the high school she attended where applicants would write a 500 word essay on how they personally felt about drinking & driving, what they felt needed to be changed regarding laws or protecting others from having this happen as well as what they are personally doing now & will do in the future to help prevent drunk driving tragedies.
The Association has noticed over the years is the decision to choose just one recipient has been getting increasingly more difficult as the essays being turned in are absolutely incredible. These young applicants are not only providing their personal views on the subject, but have also researched statistics, facts, laws, etc., regarding how drinking & driving impacts not only those directly affected by a drunk driving incident but their community as a whole. They are getting involved with programs like MADD, committing to being a DD for their friends & family, etc. Past recipients have advised this essay has really opened their eyes to how the court system and sentences need to change and some have even gone on to jobs in connecting fields such working for the Saskatchewan Government Insurance.
After witnessing the positive effect of this scholarship, in 2023, the Prince Albert Police Association voted to create an additional scholarship to one of the other high schools in the city. When ideas were being discussed on potential topics, one recurring theme was presented and it was decided this next scholarship would centre around the topic of Mental Health.
We felt the purpose of this scholarship was to honour everyone suffering with Mental Health & to bring awareness and attempt to find solutions for those dealing with Mental Health in students and/or law enforcement officers today. We again asked for personal views, asked for applicants to discuss resources or lack thereof & to discuss possible solutions within the school system, Prince Albert City Police & with friends, peers and other members of the community.
The responses have been overwhelming. This year, we received 17 essays, all of which not only detailed the many struggles within the broad spectrum of Mental Health but the hopes & aspirations to finding and bringing in better resources, peer support groups and Mental Health awareness. The 2025 winner has been selected; however, they have not been notified at the time of this submission. We look forward to presenting them with their scholarship at their graduation ceremony on June 23rd.
